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Camel is one of the greatest 1970’s era progressive rock bands on record, sitting comfortably next to Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd and other classics in the genre. Yet this amazing, enduring band garners less name recognition than their stature demands. Led by Andrew Latimer (guitar, flute, vocals, later keyboards) and initially with his partner, the late Peter Bardens (keyboards) joining Doug Ferguson (bass) and Andy Ward (drums), the band navigates rock and jazz motifs, prog / space rock, and English folk for the greater whole. Camel just released a concert DVD taken from a fantastic performance last year in Japan, thoughtfully titled ichigo ichie (Treasure every encounter, for it will never recur). The film as produced by Susan Hoover, filmed and Directed by David Minasian is exceptionally crafted. It captures a four-piece lineup delivering a set list of classics from their long catalog, highlighting one of their most popular original albums Moonmadness (1976). The staging and lighting is simple; the whole production is tightly focused on the band and their playing, with ample close ups of keys, frets and toms. It will be a treasure for long time fans and newcomers alike who want to see these musicians up close, in a crisp audio and video production.

Camel is ripe for rediscovery by those who missed out on this band to date. For one thing, their work remains consistently enjoyable, less jagged than their more metal-oriented followers, more listenable. Much of Camel’s work is actually quite sunny – often heartwarming – while Latimer’s evocative guitar style might be compared to David Gilmore of Pink Floyd fame, there is less gloom in their work, more major than minor tonality. Part of this influence was Peter Bardens, whose keys and compositions graced the first six records from 1972’s self-titled debut Camel, through 1978’s Breathless. He left the band and went on to success as a solo “new age” music artist before his untimely passing in 2002. Other group members playing bass, keys, and drums have changed over multiple times, with the most persistent member being Colin Bass, an amazing bass player who also offers rich vocals to many tracks since 1979. Powerhouse drummer Denis Clement joined in 2000 and has punctuated albums and stage shows since. The most persistently rotating seat in the Camel lineup has been at the keyboards. After Bardens, a series of exceptionally strong keys men have played on albums and/or concert tours, among them Jan Schelhaas, Kit Watkins, Dave Sinclair, Chris Rainbow, Mickey Simmonds, Guy LeBlanc, Ton Scherpenzeel, and for their most recent show, captured on the new DVD, Pete Jones.

Pete Jones is fascinating to behold throughout the concert. Though rendered sightless before age 2, he’s built a career as a composer and multi-instrumentalist, and released a very well regarded album under the moniker Tiger Moth Tales. His warm expressive vocals grace that solo work, and were put to excellent use with Camel. Jones sings on opener “Never Let Go,” then later “Air Born” and “Long Goodbyes.” The tenor of his voice, the lilt – it was like he was born to take these songs out live with the band. His keyboards throughout, and recorder solo on “Preparation” are sublime.

Again the set list includes a handful of tracks from Moonmadness, while touching on most of Camel’s other core records. It’s fairly common for Latimer and crew to say little between songs – to let the music and a bit of lighting speak for itself. True here again, as Latimer’s first interaction is, “How wonderful to be back in Tokyo after 16 years!” followed during the show with very brief introductions to the songs, and the naming of band members. As the show is in Japan, brevity seems appropriate, and as intended the music and fairly limited lighting effects set the stage. This affords an uninterrupted, bird’s eye view for the cameramen to put us right on stage, up close, most appropriate for any aspiring musician who may want to see just how those colorful notes are magically drawn by each musicians. Of the set, the band really stretches out on “Hopeless Anger” with a searing guitar solo from Andrew, dramatic deep toms from Clement and Jones giving his best. Sentimental ballad “Long Goodbyes” was dedicated by Latimer to two “dear friends” Chris Rainbow and Guy LeBlanc – who are on longer with us.

Camel has been Latimer’s primary occupation, being the one remaining original member, composer and driving force and after a period of inactivity from 2003-2013 due to illness, he and the band have been back on the road for short tours several times over the last few years. Time has not diminished their skills, and we have in Camel an important and enduring ensemble of immense talent. The journey continues – check out this DVD to see how impressive and worthy their travels have been – here’s hoping they embark again.

The stats:

Ichigo ichie: Treasure every encounter, for it will never recur
Camel Live in Japan 2016

The first annual Ramblin’ Man Fair was held last weekend at Mote Park in Maidstone, Kent. I came over from San Francisco to see the band Camel, who performed on day one of the two-day event, 25 July 2015. The festival was well run, and a success on many levels, with two main stages: one for rock & metal bands, and a smaller one for the purveyors of progressive rock. I took the trip all the way “across the pond” to see Camel with Jeff, my college roommate, as we have been lifelong fans of the group and had first seen them together on the Breathless tour, at the Roxy theater in Los Angeles way back in 1979. As hoped, Camel put in a strong performance, focusing on the 1975 recording, Moonmadness and fan favorites from the rest of their early catalog.

Camel returned to the stage two years ago, performing a slightly revised version of their brilliant concept album The Snow Goose (1975). My wife Artina and I attended this show at the Barbican Theater and felt fortunate to finally see the band out again after that long break, which came due to a rare illness suffered by founding guitarist Andrew Latimer. For that show the group featured keyboard player Guy LeBlanc who passed away just this last April, and was replaced for this tour by Ton Scherpenzeel, a founding member of Dutch band Kayak, who has been active with Camel since 1984. Returning members included the multi-talented Jason Hart (keys, acoustic guitar, vocals), Denis Clement (drums) and long-tenured favorite Colin Bass (bass, vocals). This was another stellar lineup for this long enduring band.

The show opened with “Never Let Go,” a staple from their first album, followed by “The White Rider” from Mirage (1974). Then commenced five of the seven songs from Moonmadness, most notably the one-two punch of “Air Born” and “Lunar Sea” along with “Uneven Song” from Rain Dances (1977), “Drafted” from the concept album Nude (1981) and the stunning and beautiful set closer “Ice” from I Can See Your House From Here (1979). In particular the instrumentals “Lunar Sea” and “Ice” highlight Latimer’s abilities as one of Britain’s most talented guitarists. He shows a rare restraint, like contemporaries Eric Clapton and David Gilmour, wringing powerful emotion from every note, never crowding the measure. On top of this, Latimer sings and plays flute, and these skills were also on display, as he traded leads and harmonies with Colin (who makes everything he does look easy, paired with Denis on drums) and shared solos with keyboard wizard Ton, who was in great form. After the long form encore “Lady Fantasy” the band were rushed offstage, seeming to be surprised at the shorter time they were allotted. Prior nights on this brief tour included a three track set from Dust and Dreams (1991) a keyboard instrumental, and “Long Goodbyes” from Stationary Traveller, (1984), one of our favorites, none of which they were able to play. The rush seemed unnecessary; the stage time allotted to the comparatively pedestrian Scorpions would have fit Camel’s entire set list. It was not an arrangement befitting one of Britain’s most talented musical outfits. Nonetheless Camel delivered during a truncated 80 minute set and made the trip spectacular for the two of us.

And there was more to see during the long Saturday afternoon and evening. The lineup of bands on the prog stage that day included Unto Us, Touchstone, Messenger, Pendragon, Haken, Anathema and headliners Camel. On the main stage it was No Hot Ashes, Toseland, FM, Blue Oyster Cult, Saxon, Dream Theater, and The Scorpions. The only act we really wanted to see on the main stage was American band Blue Oyster Cult who did not disappoint, with killer hits like “Don’t Fear The Reaper” and “Godzilla” alongside deeper cuts that showed off their blues-rock chops.

We spent more of the day at the Prog stage, with Haken in particular hitting all their marks. This band featured inventive, structured tunes like “Cockroach King” that brought to mind the best aspects of Gentle Giant with madrigal vocals and deft instrumental interplay. They closed with the 20-minute long-form song “Crystallized” which featured lots of tightly composed counterpoint and dramatic musicianship. This is a worthy band that just signed to the Yes event Cruise To The Edge. Anathema followed and did their fans right with their brand of melodic prog.

As to the fair in general, the event was well organized and not over-crowded, so lines for bathrooms, and the many varieties of food & drink were short, and there was plenty of space to stand or sit during the performances. Management, vendors and service personnel were upbeat, professional and courteous. On Saturday we lucked into a mostly sunny day in beautiful Mote park.

On balance musically, the fair catered more to the heavy metal and hard rock crowd, as fans of that music attended in greater numbers, and those bands took a much larger stage than their prog brethren. Additional smaller stages played host to “Outlaw Country” and blues acts. No doubt that imbalance was due in part to the main event being a rare U.K. appearance by American country and blues rock legend Greg Allman. But I came away feeling a bit let down by this, and had not expected that here in the birthplace of progressive rock, the disparity between these related genres would be so large. It seemed a bit of whiplash; to my left was the brawn and bravado (“rock you like a hurricane”), and to the right, virtuosity and nuance (“daydreams and sunbeams”). Too much Yin for my Yang, and more leather than lace! While we did have a great time, I’m not sure the event founders will be able to entice me back next year, as nice as the fair was, and I know now to lean towards dedicated classic rock, alternative/indie or prog festivals. Next stop for a fest will be the Yes voyage Cruise To The Edge in November.

p.s. Special thanks this week to Matt and Steve Knight, who provided many of the photos herein!

Camel’s entry into the concept album format, The Snow Goose, entered the UK chart in May 1975, gradually climbing as high as No. 22, staying on for a very respectable 13 weeks and earning silver certification. In October 1975, at the height of their powers, Camel performed the entire suite with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, later released on their first live album, aptly titled A Live Record, in 1978. Mike Barnes just penned a compelling, must-read article about the band and this work titled “Camel: Timeless Flight,” published in the most recent PROG magazine 17 April, 2015. Herein are some additional notes and reflections on what is, to this writer, Camel’s most enduring masterpiece.

THE INSPIRATIONContemplating a follow up album to Mirage, Camel determined to take the story telling aspect from many of those songs to it’s logical conclusion, and tell a complete tale in a multi-movement suite – their first concept album. By 1974, the concept album and lengthy song suites were commonplace for more progressive artists and it seemed time to play the card for Camel. As the story goes, keyboardist Pete Bardens liked the idea of composing a piece based on Hermann Hesse’s Sidhartha or Steppenwolf, while bass guitarist Doug Ferguson introduced the band to The Snow Goose, written by American Paul Gallico. Guitarist Andrew Latimer notes that he and Pete agreed on the choice, given there were three characters for which appropriate themes could be built, and that it was a powerful, inspiring story.

As the story begins, Rhayader purchases an abandoned lighthouse and surrounding marshlands along the Essex coast. He is described as “…a hunchback and his left arm was crippled, thin and bent at the wrist, like the claw of a bird.” Of his demeanor, Gallico writes, “Rhayder did not hate; he loved very greatly, man, the animal kingdom, and all nature…He was a friend to all things wild, and the wild things repaid him with their friendship.”

One day Frith, a young girl about 12 years of age, and “timid as a bird”, wanders into Rhyader’s life carrying a wounded snow goose. Gallico states, she “was pure Saxon, large-boned, fair, with a head to which her body was yet to grow, and deep-set, violet-colored eyes.” Frith brings the third character to Rhyader, a wounded Canadian snow goose with immense black-tipped pinions. The new friends mend the goose, building a shared bond between them. The goose returns to the marshlands over the years bringing Frith to visit the lonely lighthouse.

By the end of the story, Rhyader lends his support to soldiers trapped at Dunkirk, carrying them to safety in his small boat. Sadly, he is killed during the effort, and the friends are separated. The snow goose makes one last visit to the lighthouse, and Frith watches it soar into the sky away from the great marsh, imagining the soul of Rhayader taking farewell, crying “Godspeed!” After many weeks the old lighthouse is blown apart, mistaken for a military target, and then after Gallico concludes, “Only the frightless gulls wheeled and soared and mewed their plaint over the place where it had been.” So ends the bittersweet story of Rhyader, Frith and the Snow Goose.

The Snow Goose was also made into a short film for BBC TV in 1971, with a screenplay by the author, and directed by Patrick Garland. It stars Richard Harris and a young Jenny Agutter, who won an Emmy for the role, and is known among other things for her roles in Logan’s Run and An American Werewolf in London. At just under 50 minutes, this production does well with the source material and Harris’ quiet, unaffected portrayal of Philip Rhyader. It’s a sweet, simple film that remains true to the source material.

THE MUSIC & PERFORMANCEAs realized by Camel in 1975, the music to the Snow Goose follows the story of the book, sounding tones at turns beautiful, jubilant, haunting, and melancholy. The large-scale composition is in the form of a multi-movement suite. Changes in instrumentation, texture, meter, key and tempo provide contrast between the sections. Each of the three sympathetic characters from the story is portrayed by a musical passage, as are places and events, including the marshlands and the battle at Dunkirk. Songs range from the lonely cry of “The Great Marsh” to the flute led theme for “Rhyader” the gorgeous blues guitar of “Sanctuary” the exciting “Flight of The Snow Goose” and the dramatic “Dunkirk”. One of Pete Bardens’ prettiest solo piano pieces of all time “Fritha Alone” sounds a lovely, melancholic tone that nonetheless inspires a feeling of hope.

The band, consisting of original members Andrew Latimer (guitar), Pete Bardens (keyboards), Doug Ferguson (bass) and Andy Ward (drums), is backed by the London Symphony Orchestra, producing one of the best examples of orchestrated progressive rock in the 70s. David Bedford was brought in by producer David Hitchcock to write the arrangements for the LSO to augment the compositions, and the band were justly excited about the results, as the studied blending of instrumental rock music and orchestra shines throughout the piece. As one example, after all the characters are introduced musically, the playful song “Friendship” paints an image of the tottering goose with a quartet of winds – one of the most evocative musical moments on the album. The suite follows the tale to its dramatic conclusion with the celebratory “La Princesse Perdue.” Within this up-tempo piece, moog synth and guitar lead atop strings playing an ostinato (short repeated phrase) are followed by lush strings, winds, and percussion, building in intensity before fading away into the sounds of the great marsh reprise.

Camel Live at the Royal Albert Hall

As performed live at the Royal Albert Hall, October 1975, the work brims with confidence, all elements combining brilliantly throughout a stellar performance of the complete album. Pete Bardens introduces the piece:

We are just about ready to launch into our “magnum opus” the Snow Goose. I’d like to say what a pleasure it is to have the London Symphony Orchestra leader John Brown and also to have the pleasure of, company of, David Bedford conducting. For those of you who don’t already know, this was originally based on a short story by a gentleman called Paul Gallico – written during the war – all the thanks and credit go to him for providing us with the original inspiration – I think that’s all that needs to be said…

Not released by Decca until 1978, the double live album simply titled Camel – A Live Record (p) 1978 Gamma Records Limited, for The Decca Record Company, includes the complete performance of The Snow Goose from 1975 at the Royal Albert Hall, paired with a disk containing a handful of songs from other Camel albums, recorded on their 1974 and 1977 tours. The live presentation of The Snow Goose is a wonderful example of a rock-based, orchestrated, multi-movement piece that weaves acoustic and electric together to make a greater whole. As a package unfortunately, the materials include few live visuals other than a handful of distorted shots of the band. The music itself and the dramatic performance is the centerpiece. The sound is relatively crisp with ample bass tones to match shimmering strings.

There are no known films of this show, but there are clips of Camel performing three selections from The Snow Goose, as a four piece, and on the song “Friendship” with a wind quartet. This was shot at the BBC studios for the television series Old Grey Whistle Test in 1975. For the last many years, this was the best way to get a glimpse of the original band performing the material. It is available on the DVD production, Camel – Footage, @Camel Productions (22 November, 2004).

Camel: In From The Cold, (c) Camel Productions, UK Ltd.

More recently Camel played the piece in its entirety as a five-piece band at the Barbican Theater in London, 28 October 2013. The show debuted a spectacular new, slightly expanded, version of the original work. Andrew was joined there by long time bassist Colin Bass, drummer Denis Clement, keyboardist Guy LeBlanc, and Jason Hart supporting on keys and acoustic guitar. A film of this concert, titled In from The Cold is now also available from Camel Productions UK Ltd on DVD.

The concert came after Camel had taken a long break from recording and performing, while Andrew healed from a serious illness. The show was a huge success. The audience stood to applause for what seemed minutes before the band could play the first note. Tears were shed. Notes wound out of Andy’s Gibson Les Paul like plaintive siren songs. The band played beautifully leaving the audience enraptured.

The second half of the show included tracks from throughout the bands long recording history, starting with a half pace rendition of a song from their first LP, “Never Let Go” – wonderfully executed, bringing to mind the struggle and triumphs of life:

Man is born with the will to survive,He’ll not take no for an answer.He will get by, somehow he’ll try,He won’t take no, never let go, no…

An apt sentiment as Camel continues the journey after such a long break, playing again this July in the UK and Europe. Sadly, keyboardist Guy LeBlanc, who performed with Camel at this show, passed days ago, just this April. I recall being impressed by his talent, and at how quickly he learned the parts, coming to them so near the event.
Godspeed, Guy.

Camel are one of the greatest yet least known of the “progressive rock” genre bands that came to life in the early 1970’s. Associated with the Canterbury music scene in Britain, with Andrew Latimer (guitar, keyboards, flute, vocals) at the helm, the band navigates rock and jazz motifs, prog / space rock, and English folk. Much of their work is surprisingly sunny – while Andy’s evocative guitar style might be compared to David Gilmore of Pink Floyd fame, there is less gloom in their work as a whole. At the start, Peter Bardens (keyboards) co wrote the first six records from 1972’s self titled debut “Camel”, through 1978’s “Breathless.” Peter left the band before the Breathless tour and went on to success as a solo “new age” music artist. Other group members playing bass, keys, and drums have changed multiple times, with the most persistent member being Colin Bass, an amazing bass player who also offers warm vocals to many tracks since 1979.

The band has become Andy’s life occupation, being the one remaining original member, and who save for a hiatus from 1985-1990 remained productive, with regular releases and tours all the way through their 2003 tour. At the end of that tour Andy and his wife moved from the US back home to Britain. After a prolonged illness which made playing too difficult during the last ten years, Andy re-recorded their 1975 release “The Snow Goose” and booked a short series of concerts in Europe and the UK this fall to perform this release and a series of songs from their large catalog. We flew to London to catch their stop at the Barbican Hall, October 28th, 2013.

The concert was a huge success. The audience stood to applause for what seemed minutes before the band could play the first note. Tears were shed. Notes wound out of Andy’s Gibson Les Paul like siren songs. Colin and Andy retain their rich vocals and the rest of the band played fabulously, as if no time had passed since their last outing. The first half of the show found the band playing The Snow Goose in its entirety, with a few deviations from the original work, played beautifully and leaving the audience enraptured. The second half of the show included early tracks starting with a half pace rendition of “Never Let Go” – beautifully executed, making it hard not to think of Andy’s triumph over health issues with the lyrics:Man is born with the will to survive, He’ll not take no for an answer. He will get by, somehow he’ll try, He won’t take no, never let go, no…

Then on to others including “Song Within a Song” from “Moonmadness,” a gorgeous rendition of “Tell Me” from “Rain Dances,” “Echoes” from “Breathless,” and the encore “Lady Fantasy” from Mirage. Their 1979-1984 work was skipped to include more from “Harbour of Tears” and “A Nod and a Wink” – their 1996 and 2002 releases. While I would have included the mid-period work in the set list, it was really special to hear them play The Snow Goose and so many key tracks again after 10 long years.

The dynamics of Camel’s music are so important, where volume, drums, double keyboards and particularly Andy’s plaintive emotive guitar played live are beyond what can be captured on record. Comparisons to Clapton, Gilmour and the great slow-hand note benders are apt – and fortunately for Camel’s rapt fans, time and illness did not diminish Andy’s skills nor those of his band. Camel continues the journey and after such a long break, made a welcome visit home.